Releasable coupling and endoscopic instrument with a releasable coupling

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10208808-B2
Application number	US-201615079716-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 24, 2016
Priority date	Mar 27, 2015
Publication date	Feb 19, 2019
Grant date	Feb 19, 2019

Abstract

A releasable coupling for the transmission of a rotation movement. This coupling includes a first and a second coupling half which include engagement structures which correspond to one another and which can positively engage with one another. At least one permanent magnet is arranged on at least one coupling half in a manner such that with the approach of the coupling halves to one another, these with respect to a rotation axis are rotated into a defined angular position relative to one another, by way of the magnetic force which is produced by the permanent magnet.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A releasable coupling for a transmission of a rotation movement, the releasable coupling comprising:
a first coupling half; and
a second coupling half, each of said first coupling half and said second coupling half comprising an engagement means, said engagement means corresponding to one another and said engagement means being positively engageable with one another, wherein at least one permanent magnet is arranged on at least one of said first coupling half and said second coupling half such that with an approach of said first coupling half and said second coupling half, said first coupling half and said second coupling half are rotated into a defined angular position relative to one another, with respect to a rotation axis, via a magnetic force produced by said permanent magnet, said first coupling half and said second coupling half forming a jaw coupling, said first coupling half comprising a first coupling half jaw, said second coupling half comprising a second coupling half jaw, said at least one permanent magnet being integrated in said first coupling half jaw and another permanent magnet being integrated in said second coupling half jaw, wherein an end of said at least one permanent magnet is flush with a planar axial face side of said first coupling half jaw and an end of said another permanent magnet is flush with a planar axial face side of said second coupling half jaw, said poles of said permanent magnets being aligned in a direction of said rotation axis of the coupling, wherein said permanent magnets of said first coupling half and said second coupling half arranged opposite one another face one another with a same pole.

2. A releasable coupling according to claim 1 , wherein at least one permanent magnet is arranged on said first coupling half and at least one permanent magnet is arranged on said second coupling half to provide a plurality of permanent magnets, said permanent magnets being aligned, with respect to poles of said permanent magnets, such that said permanent magnets repel one another in a rotation direction of said first coupling half and said second coupling half.

3. A releasable coupling according to claim 2 , wherein said at least one permanent magnet associated with said first coupling half is arranged on a front side of said first coupling half and said at least one permanent magnet associated with said second coupling half is arranged on a front side of said second coupling half, said front side of said first coupling half facing said front side of said second coupling half.

4. A releasable coupling according to claim 1 , wherein at least one first coupling half projection and at least one first coupling half recess are formed on said first coupling half and at least one second coupling half projection and at least one second coupling half recess are formed on said second coupling half, said first coupling half projection engaging into said at least one second coupling half recess, said at least one second half projection engaging into said at least one first coupling half recess, wherein said at least one permanent magnet is integrated in said first coupling half projection and another permanent magnet is integrated in said second coupling half projection.

5. A releasable coupling according to claim 1 , wherein said first coupling half and said second coupling half are formed from a non-magnetizable material.

6. A releasable coupling according to claim 1 , wherein said first coupling half comprises a plurality of permanent magnets uniformly distributed over a periphery of said first coupling half, said second coupling half comprising a plurality of permanent magnets uniformly distributed over a periphery of said second coupling half.

7. A releasable coupling according to claim 6 , wherein said plurality of permanent magnets associated with said first coupling half and said plurality of permanent magnets associated with said second coupling half are arranged at a same radial distance to said rotation axis of said coupling, said plurality of permanent magnets associated with said first coupling half being arranged on said first coupling half, said plurality of permanent magnets associated with said second coupling half being arranged on said second coupling half.

8. A releasable coupling according to claim 6 , wherein said plurality of permanent magnets associated with said first coupling half and said plurality of permanent magnets associated with said second coupling half are arranged at a largest possible radial distance to said rotation axis of said coupling.

9. A releasable coupling according to claim 1 , wherein said planar axial face side of said first coupling half jaw and said planar axial face side of said second coupling half jaw are perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of at least one of said first coupling half and said second coupling half.

10. An endoscopic instrument, comprising:
a tool arranged at a distal end of the instrument, said tool being actively connected to a motor via a coupling, wherein the coupling comprises a releasable coupling, said releasable coupling comprising a first coupling half and a second coupling half, each of said first coupling half and said second coupling half comprising an engagement means, said engagement means corresponding to one another and said engagement means being positively engageable with one another, wherein at least one permanent magnet is arranged on at least one of said first coupling half and said second coupling half such that with an approach of said first coupling half and said second coupling half, said first coupling half and said second coupling half are rotated into a defined angular position relative to one another, with respect to a rotation axis, via a magnetic force produced by said permanent magnet, said first coupling half and said second coupling half forming a jaw coupling, said first coupling half comprising a first coupling half jaw, said second coupling half comprising a second coupling half jaw, said at least one permanent magnet being integrated in said first coupling half jaw and another permanent magnet being integrated in said second coupling half jaw, wherein an end of said at least one permanent magnet is flush with a planar axial face side of said first coupling half jaw and an end of said another permanent magnet is flush with a planar axial face side of said second coupling half jaw, wherein poles of said at least one permanent magnet and said another permanent magnet being aligned in a direction of said rotation axis, wherein said at least one permanent magnet of said first coupling half and said another permanent magnet of said second coupling half arranged opposite one another face one another with a same pole.

11. An endoscopic instrument according to claim 10 , wherein at least one permanent magnet and another permanent magnet provide a plurality of permanent magnets, said permanent magnets being aligned, with respect to poles of said permanent magnets, such that said permanent magnets repel one another in a rotation direction of said first coupling half and said second coupling half.

12. An endoscopic instrument according to claim 11 , wherein said first coupling half and said second coupling half are formed from a non-magnetizable material.

13. An endoscopic instrument according to claim 11 , wherein said planar axial face side of said first coupling half is located axially opposite a front side of said second coupling half with respect to a longitudinal axis of coupling.

14. An endoscopic instrument according to claim 10 , wherein at least one first coupling half recess is formed on said first coupling half

Assignees

• Wolf Gmbh Richard

Inventors

• Schwab Daniel

Classifications

• F16D27/01

  with permanent magnets · CPC title

• A61B1/00158

  using magnetic field · CPC title

• A61B1/0016

  using motor drive units · CPC title

• A61B1/00133

  Drive units for endoscopic tools inserted through or with the endoscope · CPC title

• F16D11/14 Primary

  with clutching members movable only axially (F16D11/02, F16D11/08 take precedence) · CPC title